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News & ArtsSaturday, January 1, 2011
News The Morning News: North Korea vs. South Korea, Facebook vs. Google, the Winter Classic vs. Rain, and You vs. 2011
Posted by Megan Seling on Sat, Jan 1, 2011 at 8:22 AM
It's 2011! This edition of the Morning News will not be funny. I'm sorry. I will try a little, probably, but I have had about three hours of sleep. The good thing is, though, seeing as how I do not drink, at least I am not 1) hungover or 2) still drunk.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's the news:
Sad Start to the New Year: One woman is dead after a head-on collision with a Metro bus.
But Here's Some (Kind of Good News): All eight family members survive a house fire in Ballard.
Back to the Bad News: Two are dead after a medical helicopter and small plane collided.
Shake, Rattle...: A 7.0 earthquake hits Argentina.
That's One Way to Celebrate: North Korea reminded South Korea that they want to take over, via their annual New Year message.
WAKE UP: If you have an iPhone, it's possible your alarm didn't go off this morning due to a 2011 glitch.
Don't Laugh, Droid Users: You're not safe either.
Twister: Parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana are on a tornado watch after flooding.
Speaking of Floods: Australia's under water.
The Asshole Wins!: Facebook is more popular than Google.
Car Bomb: At least 17 are dead after a car bomb went off outside a church in Egypt.
They're Baaaaack: The Sea Shepards caught up with the Japanese whaling ship and threw stink bombs at them.
The Winter Classic: The annual outdoor hockey game has been delayed due to warm weather and rain. (They should've had it here in Seattle, it's fucking FREEZING.)
And finally, here is your 2011 anthem. You're welcome.
2
I haven't even gone to bed yet, and sadly, it was not because I was up late partying. A shame, because today's my birthday.
5
What we learned: if you call the City Light outage number, or ANY City Light number, from a cell phone (because your land line number is out with the power), you get a recording that says "I'm sorry, we don't recognize your number" and you can't get through.
The power came back on in half an hour anyways but I have to say, Catalina, I'm sorry, but FUCK YOU automated City Light phone system.
The power came back on in half an hour anyways but I have to say, Catalina, I'm sorry, but FUCK YOU automated City Light phone system.
8
@ 5, I'm guessing your land phone uses some kind of house electricity? Because standard land lines shouldn't lose power too.
11
@8, yes, it's through our cable. It's also a powered phone, but we keep a crappy old traditional phone around for power outages, but this is the first time we've realized that it doesn't do much good if the cable router's off!
But not being able to report any kind of emergency to City Light from a cell phone is DEEPLY FUCKED.
But not being able to report any kind of emergency to City Light from a cell phone is DEEPLY FUCKED.
12
Google is still the #1 site on Alexa, both world-wide and U.S. only.
http://www.alexa.com/topsites
MySpace is #46... how the mighty have fallen.
http://www.alexa.com/topsites
MySpace is #46... how the mighty have fallen.
13
Yeah, WTF Pittsburgh weather??? The one day that I want it to be effin' cold here, and it's effin warm and rainy! I wanted to go ice skating on the Winter Classic ice today.
15
this is not news ..but the 3 stooges have been on all night and THAT'S why me and the ball and chain didn't get any sleep. and they're still on..
..happy new year.. 20011 year of the stooge.
..happy new year.. 20011 year of the stooge.
17
Catalina works at City Light? So that's why she is so bright - I thougt it was just the pot of coffee she cosumes in the breakfast nook waiting for the rest of the household to come downstairs.
18
Happy New Year Megan and SLOGgers.
Well someone isn't starting off the new year on a very happy note. No not me I'm fine, but not even 9-1/2 hours into the new year and some guy flipped me off. TWICE. My crime? We went to get coffee and I pulled into a parking space, a regular space and I parked within the lines legally, but I think the guy in the car facing mine had wanted to pull forward instead of backing up. He slammed his fist down on the steering wheel, his face turned all red and he had quite a colorful repertoire of names he was yelling at me. I laughed so hard I think that pissed him off even more and that's when the bird appeared. I threw my hands up in the air in a "what?" gesture and said "Happy New Year to you too!" and then I saw the bird again as he backed up and drove away. I think he may have given me a third bird but I wasn't looking by then. I'm betting he had issues before this per chance encounter. Dude is gonna have a stroke before the year is over if he keeps acting like this.
Well someone isn't starting off the new year on a very happy note. No not me I'm fine, but not even 9-1/2 hours into the new year and some guy flipped me off. TWICE. My crime? We went to get coffee and I pulled into a parking space, a regular space and I parked within the lines legally, but I think the guy in the car facing mine had wanted to pull forward instead of backing up. He slammed his fist down on the steering wheel, his face turned all red and he had quite a colorful repertoire of names he was yelling at me. I laughed so hard I think that pissed him off even more and that's when the bird appeared. I threw my hands up in the air in a "what?" gesture and said "Happy New Year to you too!" and then I saw the bird again as he backed up and drove away. I think he may have given me a third bird but I wasn't looking by then. I'm betting he had issues before this per chance encounter. Dude is gonna have a stroke before the year is over if he keeps acting like this.
19
@11, fuel for your fire. Not everybody has a landline.
The problems encountered with telephone follow-up were among a number of issues discussed in the GAO report, but they are the focus of this posting because they are relevant to any research that relies on reaching respondents by telephone. As GAO points out, the National Center for Health Statistics has found that more than 24% of U.S. households use only wireless telephones, not landlines, and work by the Pew Research Center also has found that when survey-takers call only landlines, it can skew their results. Including cell phones in a survey sample adds significantly to the cost and complexity of conducting research.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1833/gao-cri…
The problems encountered with telephone follow-up were among a number of issues discussed in the GAO report, but they are the focus of this posting because they are relevant to any research that relies on reaching respondents by telephone. As GAO points out, the National Center for Health Statistics has found that more than 24% of U.S. households use only wireless telephones, not landlines, and work by the Pew Research Center also has found that when survey-takers call only landlines, it can skew their results. Including cell phones in a survey sample adds significantly to the cost and complexity of conducting research.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1833/gao-cri…
20
If 2011 proves to be like an awful but popular song from a great band I suppose we could do worse! Happy new year all!
22
Thanks for the video, Megan. I always loved the Wall of Sound in Queen's choruses. And Sacha Baron Cohen does a spot-on Freddie Mercury there.
23
@21, if I kill my cable, how am I supposed to watch Tottenham? I can't go to the pub every single game.
24
Fnarf dear, I'm sorry your lights went off. A night without City Light is like a night without Amaretto, isn't it?
But I think there must be something else wrong, because I don't have a land line, and my cell has worked to report outages. In any event, it should have rung you through to someone if it didn't recognize your number.
Contact me privately, and I'll see what I can do to fix it so you don't have a problem in the future.
But I think there must be something else wrong, because I don't have a land line, and my cell has worked to report outages. In any event, it should have rung you through to someone if it didn't recognize your number.
Contact me privately, and I'll see what I can do to fix it so you don't have a problem in the future.
26
Happy New Year, gus! Happy New Bird, despicable me!
What are everyone's New Year's resolutions?
Mine are to check my voice mail more than 2x a month, and to eat less cheese.
What are everyone's New Year's resolutions?
Mine are to check my voice mail more than 2x a month, and to eat less cheese.
27
Well, I do have all the secret numbers to call... ;-) but I prefer to call the automated system. Machines and I get along much better than most humans and I. I'm funny that way.
28
Canuck, I have three resolutions for 2011: achieve world peace, gain six inches in height, and become the President of Mexico.
29
Canuck, in a funny bit of serendipity, I was just reading in Wikipedia about the actors in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", which I just saw last night for the first time. Quite the all-star cast and a goofy-funny film. I knew who Terry-Thomas was but hadn't known that two of his famous catch-phrases were "What an absolute shower!" and "Hard cheese."
30
Roma, that's got to be the longest wiki entry ever--and I can't believe I haven't seen it, either (add one more thing to the 2011 to-do list) Yes, cheese, delightful invention and transporter of way too many calories.
Fnarf, if you're content with gaining that 6 inches in girth, rather than height, I believe I have a strategy that will help you (yes, it's "eat cheese!")
When we were building our house, one of the framers, who was about my height (5'4") was reaching for something, and muttered, "It's times like this I wish I had that extra 6 inches," to which I, of course, replied, "That's what all the guys say..."
And President of Mexico? Personally, I would go with Queen of Sweden, but then I have a bit of a princess complex mixed with an obsession with Scandinavian design.
Fnarf, if you're content with gaining that 6 inches in girth, rather than height, I believe I have a strategy that will help you (yes, it's "eat cheese!")
When we were building our house, one of the framers, who was about my height (5'4") was reaching for something, and muttered, "It's times like this I wish I had that extra 6 inches," to which I, of course, replied, "That's what all the guys say..."
And President of Mexico? Personally, I would go with Queen of Sweden, but then I have a bit of a princess complex mixed with an obsession with Scandinavian design.
31
Happy happy birthday, Zach Annon, and happy new year to all you Sloggers. May you have many reasons to laugh and love.
32
I vow to eat more cheese in 2011, then, that's easy. Thank you for the inspiration, Queen Canuck, Roma, and Fnarf (El Presidente Mas Alto y Pacifico de Los Estados Unidos de Mexico).
In line with resolution, am now fixing a grilled sandwich of Quebec cheddar with a dollop of PIcandou goat cheese.
In line with resolution, am now fixing a grilled sandwich of Quebec cheddar with a dollop of PIcandou goat cheese.
34
Canuck, my new years resolution is to gain back the 3 inches in height that I've lost in the last 2 years. True story, when I was going through chemo I somehow got shorter. I was wearing the same faded soft pairs of jeans I'd had for awhile, then suddenly they started dragging on the ground. When I started tripping over them I was forced to roll up the cuffs and since then it's been all down hill. I know we get shorter as we age but this is ridiculous. I was always a little bit taller than my girlfriend, my sister, my sister-in-law and my two best friends. They all look down at me now and it's actually kind of funny to see after looking down at them for so long. I hope this downward trend doesn't continue or I'll be forced to go to the DMV and update my drivers license. The DMV is a nightmare and I can just see me trying to explain this to a California state employee.
Ha ha, that would be a good one to have on candid camera. Say what?
Ha ha, that would be a good one to have on candid camera. Say what?
36
When we were building our house, one of the framers, who was about my height (5'4") was reaching for something, and muttered, "It's times like this I wish I had that extra 6 inches"
Was that Washington, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton or the lesser-known (but more alliterative) Charles Cotesworth Pinckney?
Was that Washington, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton or the lesser-known (but more alliterative) Charles Cotesworth Pinckney?
39
Happy Birthday Zach!
Happy New Year to everyone at the Stranger and here on the Slog. You guys keep me laughing (and sometimes crying.....you know WHO YOU ARE!) and I love (most of) you all!!
Best to all through the year (after that, you're on your own, Christ- don't be so greedy).
Happy New Year to everyone at the Stranger and here on the Slog. You guys keep me laughing (and sometimes crying.....you know WHO YOU ARE!) and I love (most of) you all!!
Best to all through the year (after that, you're on your own, Christ- don't be so greedy).
41
Roma, IAMMMMW was my absolute favorite movie as a child. Back in those pre-VCR days, you had to wait for it to come around the networks, which fortunately it did, seemingly about once a month. I don't know if I could sit through it now, though Terry-Thomas is one of my favorite actors. His best stuff is with the Boulting Brothers, and especially with Peter Sellers -- "Carlton Browne of the F.O." and "I'm All Right Jack" are killer, as is "Lucky Jim", though mostly not due to him.
Despicable me, I was unaware of your health problems, but no matter how short you become I fervently hope that your troubles are all behind you -- and not in order to sneak up on you again, either.
Happy New Year to you all.
Despicable me, I was unaware of your health problems, but no matter how short you become I fervently hope that your troubles are all behind you -- and not in order to sneak up on you again, either.
Happy New Year to you all.
42
Oh Fnarf, thank you. I'm doing great aside from the shortness part. I've been really lucky, knock on wood. xoxo
43
Fnarf, I don't know how I missed seeing it back then but I did. I just happened to tune into it last night after it had started (it was the scene were they were all trying to decide how to divvy up the money) and didn't know what film it was until the end credits. I knew it was some notable movie because of all the stars in it but never thought of World because it was always my impression that World took place around the world. I had no idea it was set in southern California. Jonathan Winters was my favorite actor in it, and I fell in lust with the woman playing Sid Caesar's wife (her highly-slit skirt was a nice touch), who I found out was Edie Adams. I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much now; it is pretty corny.
The movie I remember Terry-Thomas from is Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.
The movie I remember Terry-Thomas from is Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.
46
Oh despicable me, my best wishes are with you, too...and perhaps you'll just have to move into "completely adorable" territory...tall people are hardly ever adorable, don't ya know...
Roma, our framer was actually Francois, who was Washington's short but well-hung rarely mentioned assistant, who undoubtedly had much influence, but no glory...sigh.
Gus, if I am Queen, then I promptly knight you, fine sir.
Roma, our framer was actually Francois, who was Washington's short but well-hung rarely mentioned assistant, who undoubtedly had much influence, but no glory...sigh.
Gus, if I am Queen, then I promptly knight you, fine sir.
47
Ah yes, Francois, the well-hung framer. If I remember my history correctly, he had a bit of a fixation on that part of the anatomy and was responsible for this phrase in Section 4...
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Erections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Erections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof
48
Roma, that has Francois written all over it! I've heard he especially liked to hold their erections during filibusters...
49
Canuck, I think you should write a children's book called Francois the Well-Hung Framer. It could entertain the kiddies with the adventures and dreams of Francois ("Every night as he fell asleep, Francois would wish for a a new carriage, more oil lamps, independence from the King and an extra six inches") as well as educating them about the U.S. Constitution and home construction.
50
Roma, thank you for giving me a most excellent idea to pursue in my dotage...I've always wanted to write a children's book!
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